Quote#Books & Reading
[It is difficult] to read the Vedanta, or the many fine compositions…
Quote byWilliam Jones · 1746–1794
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Third Anniversary Discourse: "On the Hindus".
English (original)
[It is difficult] to read the Vedanta, or the many fine compositions in illustration of it, without believing that Pythagoras and Plato derived their sublime theories from the same fountain with the sages of India.
— William Jones
More from William Jones
What constitutes a state? Men who their duties know, But know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain. And sovereign law, that state's collected will, O'er thrones and globes elate, Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill.
Go boldly forth, my simple lay, Whose accents flow with artless ease, Like orient pearls at random strung.
Than all Bocara's vaunted gold, Than all the gems of Samarcand.
Of armies on the chequer’d field array’d, And guiltless war in pleasing form display’d; When two bold kings contend with vain alarms, In ivory this, and that in ebon arms.
Seven hours to law, to soothing slumber seven, Ten to the world allot, and all to heaven.
My opinion is, that power should always be distrusted, in whatever hands it is placed.